Only In Balamb
by pyromantis
Summary: The story of how Squall, Zell, Seifer and Quistis met and became friends. some of this is canon and some isn't. It's just my ideas of how it all happened. I've tried to keep it as canon as possible, but it's hard considering the lack of background info.


Only in Balamb

Part One – First Day at School

The sound of a vase shattering spun out of the doorway of a quaint Balamb house and down the street, echoing around the town.

"ZELL DINCHT!!! WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT PRACTISING SPIN KICKS IN THE HOUSE!?!" At this, Zell spun around to see his aging, plump mother standing in the kitchen archway, casserole in hand.

"I'm sorry mom!" replied Zell, exasperated, "but you know I don't like practising outside! What if I mess up? Then all the kid will laugh at me!" He lowered the arm's he'd been waving about and lowered his tone. "It was an old vase anyway. I'll buy you a new one."

"With what money?" remarked Mrs. Dincht, "You haven't had a job since old Jacque fired you for punching the fish instead of hitting them on the boat like you're supposed to!"

"My way was better. I got them to stop wriggling in one move. It took Jacque at least 4 good smacks to kill his. I was just… optimising."

"Optimising my ass! You never do anything how you're supposed to do you? Always thinking you can do it better!"

"Well sometimes I can ok?! Anyway, I'll have lots of money soon." Mrs. Dincht looked suspicious and a little apprehensive. The last time Zell had mentioned lots of money, she had the Balamb guards at the door the next day with the boy in irons. He and a few of his layabout friends had been caught trying to pickpocket a rich noble from the Dollet Dukedom. Unsurprisingly, Mrs Dincht was not amused. Zell read her expression,

"Don't worry mom. I'm not gonna rob anyone!" Mrs Dincht's face relaxed into a frown. Where was Zell getting money from, then? "I've been accepted for training at the Garden! I'm gonna be in SeeD! Mrs. Dincht put the casserole down with haste and rushed to embrace her son.

"My boy! My boy is going to be a member of SeeD! How wonderful!" She lifted Zell off his sneaker-covered feet and spun him round. Zell's blonde, spiky hair bounced as him and his mother laughed with happiness.

"Mom! Let go!" cried Zell in jest. He was a little too old to be hugging his mother now. At 10, Zell was just old enough to be allowed to train at the Balamb Garden. A huge, majestic base, the Garden was a training and deployment centre for the Balamb branch of the SeeD; a mercenary army paid to fight battles all over the world. The idea of travelling across country to fight excited Zell beyond comprehension. That's all he'd wanted to do, since he'd discovered his grandfather was a famous soldier. Zell wanted to honour his ancestors, and continue the warrior bloodline.

To most who knew him, Zell Dincht was not your typical warrior hero. An energetic, outgoing boy, he was never still and never quiet. His passion for combat was only matched by his passion for food, hot dogs mostly. His mother despised the things, so Zell could usually be found either at home training or at the local eatery, wolfing down hot dogs. He had tried to get jobs many times, but his naturally inquisitive nature and penchant for acting before he thought always got him into trouble and eventually fired. Normal work wasn't for Zell; he'd known that for a time now. The warrior life was for him, and SeeD was the best there was.

The next day, Zell packed up a few things and said a tearful goodbye to his mother. The Garden was only a short walk from Balamb town, but his mother insisted he get a taxi. As the small car rumbled past the woods, Zell caught sight of a few Cactuars bobbing around in the trees. Excitement rose in his chest. _One day I'll be fighting them_ he thought. It didn't take long for the taxi to reach Balamb Garden. As Zell got out, he almost forgot to pay the driver. The Garden was just was amazing as he remembered it. His mother had taken him to see it once not long after she had adopted him. The massive structure dwarfed any other in Balamb, and stood as a beautiful mountain upon the green, hilly landscape of the small island. The drivers request for gil broke Zell's daydream, and he paid up.

Zell Dincht stepped through the front doors of the Balamb Garden and into the large, circular entrance hall. Pathways led off in all directions from the central ring, leading to all kinds of amazing rooms and places. Zell moved toward the telescreen set in the central circle to find out where orientation was. Just as he pushed the 'HELP' button, a smooth voice cut through the rabble of new arrivals. It was like glass paper, and sent a shiver up Zell's spine.

"Letting anyone in now are they?" The remark came from a boy a little taller and considerably more muscular than Zell. Seifer Almasy. Just over a year Zell's elder, Seifer had grown up in the same orphanage as Zell. For some reason, the two had never got on. Zell's energy and boisterous nature exasperated Seifer, who believed strength and power was achieved only through calm and discipline. And, therefore, Seifer had bullied Zell from day one. There were matrons to stop that kind of thing, but Seifer always seemed to get away with it. Even at 6 years old, he seemed to have a certain air of darkness about him, like something wasn't quite right. The sight of Almasy sent Zell's heart plummeting to his stomach. He thought he'd got away from this when he got adopted. Apparently not.

"Apparently so. Watch out for those teachers Seifer! If they catch you in here, they'll throw you out!" Zell's implication that Seifer was here by ulterior means did not amuse the stern boy. Seifer had worked constantly from a very young age to make it into the Garden. Never being adopted, he had spent his entire life at the orphanage; not the best place for a Garden applicant to come from. Most of the students had parents, fostered or otherwise. Seifer had none. Zell liked to think this was why the boy was so serious all the time, but deep down knew it was something else.

"Shut up Dincht," snapped Seifer, "This place will eat you up and spit you out before you can even get those ridiculous shoes off." Zell glanced at his sneakers. Big, red and bouncy. A reflection of his personality. Zell used humour to mask his natural insecurity, and usually it worked. But he did, on occasion, get a little tired of being a clown. He looked back to Seifer, who was now smiling wryly. "See you in training Dincht." And at this, Seifer turned on his heels and marched off toward the Training Centre. The tightness in Zell's chest disappeared and was replaced by wonder once again. A quick look at the telescreen told him he had to be in a classroom on the 1st floor, and so he set off.

On the way to the elevator, he spotted a thin, morose figure sitting on one of the benches that lined the entrance hall. Brown, silky hair obscured the boy's angular features, and warm, brown eyes gazed out from under. Zell turned and tossed his head and squinted his vision, trying to make out the figures identity. Then it hit him. He'd seen that posture somewhere before. Squall. Squall Leonhart. That weird, quiet one back at the orphanage, always hanging around with Ellone like a stray dog. He didn't speak much; in fact, Zell had never heard him speak a word. Zell had never liked Squall all that much, but he, Zell, never really hated him either. As this was his first day at Garden and Squall was the same age as him, Zell figured it was Squalls first day too. Attempting to make a good impression, Zell strode over to Squalls slouched figure and sat next to him.

"Um. Hi. You probably won't remember me but…" Squall cut in unexpectedly. His voice was low and soft, as silky as his hair and warming compared to Seifer's scornful snap.

"Zell. From the orphanage." Zell's face lit up,

"Yeh! Yeh, that's right! Wow, you remember me! I never thought you would! I mean, it's not like it's easy to forget me but, you know it was a long time…"

"Still talk too much then." remarked Squall. He shifted his gaze to look at Zell. Deep inside, he felt a little trickle of warmth for the beaming boy. Zell was loud, outgoing, cocksure and a little arrogant, but at least he wasn't a bastard. But Squall could not let him in. He couldn't let anyone in. He couldn't take being abandoned again.

"Are you alright?" Zell's high, jovial tone crashed into Squalls thoughts like a wrecking ball. He realised he'd been staring at Zell's shirt and blinked to break out of the daydream.

"I'm fine. Now go away." Squall wasn't being mean, he just wanted to be left alone. He'd been moved to train at the Garden by the matrons at the orphanage. They believed the experience would introduce Squall to the ideals of camaraderie and friendship, and break him out of the 'lone-wolf' phase he was in. But Squall had no intention of making friends, or being anything other than alone. He had trusted people before and he wouldn't make that mistake again. Ever. Zell looked a little hurt by Squall's sharpness, and simply got up and walked away. Shortly after, Squall stood up himself. He had to get to the classroom too. Orientation day. The first day of the rest of his life.


End file.
